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Post by MissyHissy on Apr 22, 2015 9:54:09 GMT
A couple of people have asked me how to do this, so I've written a tiny tutorial for creators to add a bit of spice to their careers. In your CareerName.Careers file within your package, you need to add this: But obviously replacing CAREERNAME with the name of your career and branchname1 and branchname2 with the two names of your respective branches. So, to use my Airline career as an example, it would look like this: For the levels for each branch, this needs to be added: I usually put this underneath the <Level></Level> line of code for each level. But I don't think it matters too much. An example from my Airline Career: You then need to ensure you've got the names right in the UnhashedKeys and English Strings files. UnhashedKeysFor each level that requires a branch, the UnhashedKeys look like this: Make sure you feature this in your English Strings file and you'll be good to go!
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Post by dion713 on Sept 21, 2017 9:07:07 GMT
Thanks for the tutorials. I don't know whether you have the time or motivation for it, but it would be great if you add examples to how you code the career branches in the UnhashedKeys and English String files. All the examples of your estate agent career make the beginner's tutorial very clear, but this seems to be the only part you didn't use any examples for. And I seem to have done it wrong, since the career made my game crash. Whether you are willing to add examples or not, thanks for all the effort you put into these tutorials.
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Post by MissyHissy on Dec 12, 2017 10:30:58 GMT
Hi there, thanks for mentioning that. As soon as I have internet at home again, I'll add some clearer examples. Good luck with your career, let me know if there's anything I can do to help.
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Post by MissyHissy on Mar 8, 2019 10:37:12 GMT
I'm going to expand on this idea of splitting branches in careers. Around 4 or so years ago, I was discussing with dudeyochill the possibility of splitting the branches further. Through trial and error, we did find it's possible. Dudeyochill experiemented with the idea and got it working. I have since implemented this into my recent Medic Career, so I'm now going to write up how this can be accomplished. This tutorial is for an eventual three branches to a career. I am also assuming that if you're attempting this, you've already successfully incorporated split branches into a career before. In your CareerName file, the section relating to branches needs two more added to it: The above example comes from my Medic career. As you can see, I created the initial General Practitioner branch and the Surgeon branch. I've then created two additional branches, General Practitioner 2 and Psychiatry. This is because the first split will happen and you choose either GP or Surgeon. Choosing GP, you have one level before a second split occurs, giving the option to remain as a GP or become a Psychiatrist. If choosing GP at the second offer, the sim switches to the GP2 branch. This sounds reasonably complicated but I don't think there's a simpler way to explain that. The branch code for individual levels remains largely the same. The exception is for the branches after the second split. The code for them is as follow So the original General Practitioner Branch becomes the Branch Source for the GP2 and Psychiatry branches. After that, the code for the UnhashedKeys remains the same. Note about Branch OfferThere appears to be now way of forcing a separate branch offer when splitting for a second time. The original branch offer will appear so it's advisable to make the wording quite clear and neutral in your branch offer, since it will appear on both splits.
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Post by T1gerCat on Dec 24, 2019 21:12:00 GMT
Hi Missy! Merry Christmas! I'm planning a split career and I have a couple of questions for you.
One, in your Medic career you first split the career in two branches and then you split one branch into two more. Is that the only way that can happen? I kind of wanted a 3way split from the get go.
Two, can I merge the split down the road? I plan one common starting level, then the split, and then all 3 branches becoming one again for the last two levels. It's not needed to merge them, I can just use the same level titles for all 3 branches, but I was wondering.
Bonus question, you use <BranchName></BranchName> <BranchSource></BranchSource>. I get what the BranchName does, but what does the BranchSource mean?
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Post by MissyHissy on Dec 28, 2019 10:45:36 GMT
Sorry for the delayed response, I only just saw it.
One: At the moment, yes. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it's possible to split three ways from the get-go. The reason for this seems to be the Branch Offer because it doesn't support more than two buttons for the offer. It's annoying because ideally, I'd love the option too. But this is the only workaround we've found so far.
Two: I've honestly never tried so that will be hugely experimental. I don't immediately see why not though. In order for that to work, I should think you'd need to make sure each branch has an equal number of levels. So say your first split is at level 1 and splits to branches A and B. If your second split is Branch B, level 2 to branches B and C.
Make sure all three branches end with, say, level 5. Then you could create level six that has no branch name and see how that goes. Does that make sense?
Bonus Answer (This sounds like a game show!): The Branch Source shows where your branch is coming from. In normal, 2 branch careers, that stays at 'Base' because the branches are originally from the base of the career. However, when you have a second split (down Branch B), the name of Branch B becomes the source and Branch C becomes the Name. So to use my Medic career as the example:
Branch A is the Surgeon Branch. Branch B is the General Practitioner Branch. Branch C is the Psychiatrist Branch. Branch D is the General Practitioner 2 Branch.
So while I have 3 branches, there are 4 names. This is the distinguish the GP branch between the pre-second split and post-second split GP branch.
So for branches A and B, the BranchSource is 'Base' because they branch out from the base of the career. But for branches C and D, the BranchSource is 'BranchB' because that's the branch they're splitting from.
Does that make sense?
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Post by T1gerCat on Dec 28, 2019 12:06:05 GMT
It does make sense and I feel silly that I went ahead and wrote it with 3 branches to begin with (trust me to be impulsive when the idea was there, demanding to be written!). Just to make sure I understand it correctly, the base opens to Branch A and Branch B and then Branch B becomes Branch C and Brand D in name, but in reality it's Branch A, Branch B and Branch C.
I have to say, it doesn't bode well with how I planned the branches (they're too different to use one to branch into another), lol. Speaking of, is there a known limit to how many times I can add branches? Because that's one way I can add all three branches I want but it may become a bit confusing at the end.
As for the merging, I worked around it. The level names are the same but I changed the descriptions and the skills needed to get there, so while the final levels are the same their backstory changes and I must say, I quite like it that way.
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Post by MissyHissy on Dec 28, 2019 12:34:21 GMT
That's it, you've got it. In all honesty, I don't think it'll matter too much in the end which branch it comes out of. No limit that I know of right now. Again, probably going to need a lot of experimenting and testing. Right now, I've only got one other triple branch career planned but once I've got through my list a bit, I want to experiment with a career that splits first into two branches, then have both branches split again, leaving four branches at the very end. That'll either work seamlessly or it will blow up in my face. Who knows? Glad to hear you found a method you're happy with. The merging is something to add to my To Test One Day list...
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Post by T1gerCat on Dec 28, 2019 16:21:38 GMT
In a way, using the same titles/summaries/skills needed to get there, is a way of merging them. That was my thinking until I decided to err a bit off course and ended up liking it.
I know game-wise it doesn't matter how the careers branch out but storytelling wise, I might have to play a bit to make it work. I started wanting to make a casino owner career, inspired by the tv show Las Vegas and a book series I like. I wanted Casino, Security, Administration branches but since I have 3 branches from the get go, I think I'll add one more branch to balance things out and, hopefully, make breaking 2 into 4 easier. Of course I may end up deciding 3 separate careers are a better, or at least easier to figure out, idea!
Hey, worst case scenario, it'll blow up over both our faces *snort.
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Post by MissyHissy on Dec 28, 2019 16:38:45 GMT
What were you planning for Branch A and Branch B? Because you *could* theoretically make that work if Branch A was Casino, Branch B was Administration and have Security become Branch C from Branch B. Does that make sense? Could that work, both career-wise and gameplay-wise?
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